Automatic humidifier



Aug. 27, 1940. WEEKS 2,212,996

AUTOMATIC HUMIDIFIER Filed Sept. 5, 1939 Patented Aug. 27, 1940 warren sm'rss rATE 'r 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic humidifier designed to maintain a body of water in an open container in thermal contact with a radiator or other heat emitting element forming a part of a house heating system, in order that the water may be heated and consequently vaporized to cause it to pass into the air of the room in which the radiator is located.

An automatic humidifier of this type is desirable in order to maintain the air sufficiently moist or at the proper humidity not only to provide for human comfort, but to prevent drying out and disintegration of walls, furniture, pictures or other objects.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and efiicient humidifier capable of being easily and simply applied to a radiator of a hot water heating system without having to drain the radiator or alter the system in any way other than to merely open the air vent.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to automatically maintain the proper amount of water in the vaporization or evapora- 5 tion receptacle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a humidifier which will automatically vent the trapped air in a radiator of a hot water heating system. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic humidifier of the character stated applicable to a steam heating system as well as a hot water system.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the invention applied to the radiator of a hot water heating system; v

Fig. 2 an enlarged fragmentary side elevation partly in section with the control valve in open position;

Fig. 3 an enlarged longitudinal section of the control in closed position; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail illustrating the type of control used with a steam heating system.

Referring to the drawing, a conventional radiator ll) of a hot water heating system is pro- Vided with an air vent I I having a depending discharge outlet or nozzle H, with a needle valve I3 mounted by means of a threaded head in the air vent fitting and with a polygonal head [4 adapted to be engaged by a key for rotating the head and unseating the valve so that entrapped air may pass: outwardly downwardly through the discharge nozzle until the trapped air is all exhausted and water from the system begins to escape, whereupon the valve may be closed.

In order that the air of the room in which the 5 radiator is located may be kept at the proper humidity, an open top container or receptacle i5 is adapted to be mounted, by hooks 29 or other supports, in thermal contact with the radiator. The receptacle [5 is supplied with water from 10 the radiator through a tube Hi to maintain the water level of the receptacle at a predetermined value.

In order that the humidifier may be applied while the heating system is in operation the connection from the radiator to the vaporizing receptacle or container l5 is made directly to the discharge nozzle or vent fitting l l and the needle valve I3 unscrewed to provide open communication between the radiator and the receptacle, a 20 control I! being mounted in the receptacle and being actuated by moisture tocause expansion ofan element to close the valve and shut off water to the receptacle as will be hereafter described. 25

The control I! comprises a perforated sleeve having a hook or bracket 98 at its upper end extending over the upper rim of the container for supporting the control in proper position. Within the receptacle there is a cylindrical expansive element IQ, of oak wood or other type of expansive material. This expansive element is adapted to absorb water and expand to move a valve body 26 downwardly into contact with its valve seat 2|, the valve body 20 being normally held in its 35 raised position by means of a spring 22.

The upper end of the expansive element l9, rests against an adjusting screw 23 mounted in a head 2% by means of screws 24', thus when 2 water has been absorbed by the expansive ele- 4G ment 19, its upper end abutting the screw will not be permitted to move upwardly; therefore, it expands downwardly and causes the valve 2! to move toward its seat and when it is sufiiciently expanded it will close the valve and out 01f flow of water into the container l5. As shown in Fig.

2, the water level is slightly below the normal water level, the expansive element I9 is therefore contracted, the valve is open, and water is ready to flow into the container l5. The valve is in the opposite position in Fig. 3.

In order to connect the supply tube 5 to the radiator, the upper end of the tube is provided with an enlarged end portion 25 with its wall relatively thin in order to receive in a water tight manner the depending discharge nozzle l2 of the vent fitting II. This enlarged end 25 may likewise be provided with a screen for preventing rust or other particles from passing into the pipe I6. The enlarged end 25 of the supply pipe is likewise provided with a yoke 2i and a screw 28. The yoke is constructed to fit over the vent fitting II with the screw 28 connecting the parts in a manner to prevent leakage therebetween.

In applying the invention to the conventional radiator of a hot water heating system, the receptacle i5 is attached in good thermal contact to the radiator by means of the hooks 29. ie yoke 27 on the upper end or" the supply pipe i8 is placed over the vent fitting l l with the discharge nozzle of the vent fitting extending slight- 1y into the enlarged end 25 of the supply pipe. Thereupon the screw 28 is tigh ened so that there will be no leakage at the joint between the vent fitting and the enlarged end 25 of the supply pipe. The pan or container is n to the desired water level so that the expansive element i9 is allowed to swell and close the valve ll the supply line it. Thereupon a key is applied to the polygonal head i l of the needle valve 53 and the needle valve unseated to esta li h communication between the interior oi the tor the control valve El. No we. will pass ceptacle 55 because the valve 2:5 is the seat 2i.

w ien the water in the receptacle has evaporated until the lower end oi the expansive element 5:? is not wet, contraction of the expansive element will occur thereby unseating the valve and allowing the pan to be filled automatically until the water rises s "ntly to wet the expansive element whereupon the valve will be closed.

A closure such as a cap may placed over the outer end of th vent fitting ii in a manner to cover the polygonal needle valve operating head, the cap being provided with a screw St for securing in pl cc and with a gasket for preventing leakage.

The above construction also applicable to a radiator of a steam heating system by placing the valve in the supply pipe beneath the water level so that coming through the pipe may be condensed. As shown in Fig. 4:, the receptacle is provided with a control element of similar but slightly different construction than that of the preceding figures including a sleeve provided with perforations 3 2 (like the control H) through which water may reach an expansive element steam being admitted through a supply pipe 3" when the valve 3? on the lower end oi valve stem is off its seat. "he upper end oi the sleeve 33 is provided with a cap 333 having an adjusting screw ill threaded therethrough in engagement with expansive element which may be si'. r to the expansive element 5:": previously described. The control is supported by means of a hook or bracket 4| which extends over the upper end of the receptacle l5.

In operation, steam entering the receptacle l5 through the supply pipe 35 will flow around the valve 31 into the water within the container IE to be condensed, the position of the valve 31 being subject to the dry or moist condition of the expansive element 25. When the expansive element is wet the valve will be closed and when dry it will be open.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. In combination: a radiator adapted to be supplied with a moisture producing heating fluid; a conduit for feeding said fluid from said radiator to a liquid producing evaporation receptacle positioned in heat exchange relationship with said radiator; means attached to said conduit including a valve and a substance adjacent said valve capable of expanding when wet by Contact with liquid and of contracting when out of contact with liquid; said valve and said substance being so positioned within said receptacle that expansion of said substance when in contact with a predetermined level oi liquid in said receptacle will cause said Valve to shut off the supply of fluid to said receptacle, said substance being effective when dried by the evaporation of said liquid in said receptacle or when dried by the heat from said radiator to cause said valve to re-establish the flow oi fluid from said radiator to said receptacle.

2. An automatic water feeding device comprising a conduit adaptable to connect the air vent or" a hot water radiator with a moisture producing and evaporating receptacle positioned in heat exchange relationship with said radiator; said conduit having one end provided with means for maintaining a fluid-tight connection with said air vent, the other end of said conduit having attached thereto a valve and a substance adjacent said valve capable of expanding when wet by contact with water and oi contracting when out of contact with water, said valve and said substance being adaptable to be so positioned within said receptacle that the expansion of said substance when in contact with a predetermined level of water in said receptacle will cause said valve to shut off the supply of water through said conduit from said radiator to said receptacle, said substance being effective when dried by the evaporation of water in said receptacle or when dried by heat from said radiator to open said valve to re-establish the flow of water from said radiator to said receptacle.

CHARLES M. WEEKS. 

